Children - As enacted, revises various provisions governing surrendering custody of unwanted infants. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 1, Part 1 and Title 68, Chapter 11, Part 2.
HB 1844 expands safe surrender options for newborns in Tennessee by adding 24-hour ambulance stations to the list of facilities where parents can legally leave infants without legal consequences. The bill amends Tennessee Code (Sections 68-11-255) to explicitly include ambulance stations staffed 24/7 by licensed emergency medical providers, alongside existing options like hospitals and fire departments. It also updates language to require facilities to have "staff scheduled continuously on a 24-hour basis" rather than simply "being staffed." This change directly affects parents seeking to voluntarily surrender newborns, providing additional accessible, safe locations for this process.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 22, 2026
Last action May 27, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
21
Key actions
9
Committee
14
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
Rec for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Health Committee for 2/17/2026
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 2/11/2026
lower
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
P2C, ref. to Health Committee
lower
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Ed Butler
RRepublican
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